Rebecca J. Huss
Page 7
REBECCA J. HUSS
Wesemann Hall
656 S. Greenwich
Valparaiso, IN 46383
TEACHING POSITIONS
Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, Indiana
Professor of Law (2004-Present)
Associate Professor of Law (2002-2004)
Assistant Professor of Law (1999-2002)
Northwestern School of Law
of Lewis & Clark College, Portland, Oregon
Visiting Professor of Law (Summer Session 2011)
Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, Florida
Visiting Professor of Law (Fall Semester 2006)
The University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa
Visiting Professor of Law (Summer Session 2006)
Notre Dame Law School, South Bend, Indiana
Visiting Professor of Law (Spring Semester 2005)
PUBLICATIONS
Aging Adults and Animals: Legal Issues Relating to Living with Companion Animals (forthcoming).
Canines on Campus: Companion Animals at Postsecondary Educational Institutions, 77 Missouri L. Rev. 417 (2012).
Canines in the Classroom: Service Animals in Primary and Secondary Educational Institutions, 4 J. Animal L. and Ethics 11 (2011).
Why Context Matters: Defining Service Animals Under Federal Law, 37 Pepp. L. Rev. 1163 (2010).
The Pervasive Nature of Animal Law: How the Law Impacts the Lives of People and Their Animal Companions, 43 Val. L. Rev. 1131 (2009).
Why Animal Law Matters: Establishing an Animal Law Section in An Era of Emerging Issues 52-Mar Res Gestae 37 (2009).
Lessons Learned: Acting as Guardian/Special Master in the Bad Newz Kennels Case, 15 Animal L. 69 (2008).
Issues Relating to Companion Animals in Housing, in Animal Law and the Courts: A Reader (Taimie L. Bryant, Rebecca J. Huss & David N. Cassuto eds., 2008).
Rescue Me: Legislating Cooperation Between Animal Control Authorities and Rescue Organizations, 39 Conn. L. Rev. 2059 (2007).
No-Pets Allowed: Housing Issues and Companion Animals, 11 Animal L. 69 (2005).
Recent Developments in Animal Law, 40 Torts, Trial & Ins. Prac. J. 233 (2005).
Valuation in Veterinary Malpractice, 35 Loy U. Chi. L. J. 479 (2004).
Separation, Custody and Estate Planning Issues Relating to Companion Animals, 74 U. Colo. L. Rev. 183 (2003).
Valuing Man’s and Woman’s Best Friend: The Moral and Legal Status of Companion Animals, 86 Marq. L. Rev. 47 (2002).
Revamping Veil Piercing for All Limited Liability Entities: Forcing the Common Law Doctrine into the Statutory Age, 70 U. Cin. L. Rev. 95 (2001).
RECENT COURSES
Business Associations
Mergers and Acquisitions
Animal Law
Securities Regulation
EDUCATION
The University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa
Master of Laws in International and Comparative Law, 1995
Thesis: Comparison of International Commercial Dispute Resolution Methods from the Perspective of a United States’ Client (Completed May 1995)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, Virginia
Juris Doctor magna cum laude, 1992
Class Rank 1/140
Member, University of Richmond Law Review
McNeill Law Society
Recipient of the Following Academic Performance Awards: J. Westwood Smithers Medal,
Charles T. Norman Award, Michie Company Prize, Cudlipp Medal, Hornbook Award
Cambridge University, Cambridge, England
Emmanuel College, Summer Session 1990
Concentrated in areas of International and EU law
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Bachelor of Arts in Economics, 1989
Minor in International Studies
Graduated with Highest Honors
Purple and Gold Award for Academic Performance
Omicron Delta Epsilon, President
Waterloo Symphony Orchestra
Kansai University of Foreign Studies, Osaka, Japan
Studied International Economics and Japanese during the 1987-1988 Academic Year
OTHER PROFESSIONAL LEGAL EXPERIENCE
Wyeth (f/k/a American Home Products Corporation), Overland Park, Kansas
Attorney for Fort Dodge Animal Health Division
May 1998 to July 1999
Advised division on general corporate and business matters including contracting, distribution and advertising issues.
Husch Blackwell (Formerly Blackwell Sanders) Kansas City, Missouri
Associate in the Corporate Department
March 1996 to April 1998
Practiced in a firm of approximately 200 attorneys. Primary emphasis on general business issues including mergers and acquisitions. Focused on transborder acquisitions and contracting matters.
Perkins Coie, Seattle, Washington
Associate in the Corporate Finance and Business/Tax/International Departments
October 1992 to July 1994
Summer Associate from May 1991 to August 1991
General corporate practice in a firm of approximately 330 attorneys. Following rotation in the Corporate Finance Department practiced in the Business/Tax/International Department. While in both departments, worked on international matters with partners throughout the firm.
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
Aging Adults and Animals: Legal Issues Relating to Living with Companion Animals, Animal Law: Theory and Context, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Chair and Presenter (Honolulu, Hawaii, June 2012)
The Intersection of Legal Issues Involving Animals and Gerontology, Animals, Ethics & Law Symposium, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, (Knoxville, Tennessee, March 2012)
Why Context Matters: Defining Service Animals Under Federal Law, Animals in Legal Context, American Association of Law Schools Annual Meeting, (Washington D.C., January, 2012)
Practicing Animal Law: Why Contracts, Wills and Business Law Matter to Animals, Standing Up for Animals: Can a Bad Economy Inspire Greater Goodness? 19th Annual Animal Law Conference at Lewis & Clark (Portland, Oregon, October 2011)
Canines on Campus: Service Animals in Post-Secondary Institutions, Animal Law: Theory and Context, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Chair and Presenter (San Francisco, California, May 2011)
The Evolving Nature of Animal Law, Valparaiso Organization for Learning and Teaching Seniors (Valparaiso, Indiana, May 2011)
Role of Guardian/Special Master, “It’s Our Turn to Fight for Them” Prosecuting Animal Cruelty: Dog Fighting, University of Kansas Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (Lawrence, Kansas, April 2011)
The Evolving Nature of Animal Law, Knowing Animals: History, Strategies and Frontiers in Human/Animal Relations Initiative, Center for Advanced Study, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Urbana, Illinois, February 2011)
Service Animals in Educational Environments, Animal Law: Theory and Context, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Chair and Presenter (Chicago, Illinois, May 2010)
Service Animals in Educational Environments, Mid-Atlantic Regional Animal Law Symposium (Baltimore, Maryland, April 2010)
The Pervasive Nature of Animal Law: How it Impacts You & Your Clients, Indiana State Bar Association, Annual Meeting (Indianapolis, Indiana, November 2009)
Acting as Guardian/Special Master, Beyond the Headlines: The Bad Newz Kennels Investigation, USDA Office of Inspector General Professional Development Conference (Nashville, Tennessee, July 2009)
Lessons Learned: Acting as Guardian/Special Master in the Bad Newz Kennels Case, Arizona State Bar Association, Animal Law Section Meeting, (Phoenix, Arizona, June 2009)
Why Context Matters: Defining Service Animals Under Federal Law, Animal Law: Theory and Context, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Chair and Presenter (Denver, Colorado, May 2009)
Lessons Learned: Acting as Guardian/Special Master in the Bad Newz Kennels Case, University of Chicago Law School (Chicago, Illinois, May 2009)
Constitutional Issues, Rethinking Dangerous Dogs Panel, No Kill 2009, Bringing Sheltering into the 21st Century (Washington, D.C., May 2009)
Lessons Learned: Acting as Guardian/Special Master in the Bad Newz Kennels Case, Drexel University School of Law, (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 2009)
Lessons Learned from the Vick Dogs, One Earth: Globalism & Animal Law, The Animal Law Conference at Lewis & Clark (Portland, Oregon, October 2008)
Animal Law and Its Emerging Issues, Inaugural Lecture, Valparaiso University School of Law (Valparaiso, Indiana, September 2008)
Lessons Learned as the Guardian/Special Master of the Vick Dogs, Prosecuting and Representing Animal Abusers and Caring for the Victims – The Michael Vick Case and Its Impact on Cruelty Cases, Co-Sponsored by the American Bar Association TIPS Animal Law & Trial Techniques Committees & Criminal Law Section (Chicago, Illinois, September 2008)
A Perspective on the Use of Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws in a Criminal Animal Fighting Case, Animal Law: Theory and Context, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Chair and Presenter (Montreal, Canada, May 2008)
Keynote Speaker, What Became of the Dogs? The Custody and Placement of the Dogs Involved in the Bad Newz Kennels Case, 3rd Annual Animal Law Conference, Co-Sponsored by the Minnesota State Bar Association Animal Law Section and William Mitchell College of Law (St. Paul, Minnesota, March 2008)
The Changing Status of Companion Animals: The Limitations of the Property Concept, Kindred Spirits Conference, Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana, September 2006)
When “No Pets Allowed” No Longer Applies – Senior Citizens and Their Animals, American Bar Association Annual Meeting (Honolulu, Hawaii, August 2006)
The Changing Status of Companion Animals: The Limitations of the Property Concept, Animals and The Law: Perspectives on Legal Justice and Rights Panel, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Chair and Presenter (Baltimore, Maryland, July 2006)
Perspectives on Teaching Courses on the Law’s Relationship to Animals, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Roundtable Participant (Baltimore, Maryland, July 2006)
Housing Issues and Companion Animals, The Chicago Dog, Chicago Bar Association, Animal Law Committee and International Institute for Animal Law (Chicago, Illinois, April 2006)
Interaction Between Humane Societies and Rescue Organizations, Animal Law: Theory and Context Panel, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Chair and Presenter (Las Vegas, Nevada, June 2005)
Companion Animals: Trends in Valuations, Housing Issues and Estate Planning, Chicago Bar Association, Animal Law Committee Meeting (Chicago, Illinois, March 2005)
Noneconomic Damages Revisited, The Future of Animal Law Conference, Animal Legal Defense Fund and Yale Law School (New Haven, Connecticut, November 2004)
Companion Animals and Housing Issues, Animal Law: Rights and Remedies Panel, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Chair and Presenter (Chicago, Illinois, May 2004)
The Legal Rights of Animals in Tort Law, Animal Law Conference: The Practice of Animal Law: Perspectives on its Past, Present, and Future, American University Washington College of Law, et al. (Washington, D.C., April 2004)
Animals in a Cultural Context, The International Law Conference Protecting Animals Through the World’s Legal System: Viewpoints from Five Continents, Moderator, California Western School of Law (San Diego, California, April 2004)
Companion Animals and Housing Issues, Building Animal Friendly Communities Through Legislation, Community Action and Legal Advocacy, Lewis and Clark Law School (Portland, Oregon, October 2003)
Veterinary Malpractice Moot Trial, Purdue University 2003 Annual Fall Conference for Veterinarians, Plaintiffs Attorney (West Lafayette, Indiana, September 2003)
Valuation and Veterinary Malpractice, Rights and Remedies in Animal Law Panel, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, Presenter (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 2003)
OTHER ACTIVITES AND AWARDS
Excellence in the Advancement of Animal Law Award from the Animal Law Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section (awarded August 2011)
Appointed as the guardian/special master of the dogs involved in Civil Action No.: 3:07CV397 (E.D. Va. 2007) (the Bad Newz Kennels case). For the work as guardian/special master, was the recipient of the following awards:
US Department of Justice, National Asset Forfeiture Award for Outstanding Investigation or Case (awarded July 2009)
2008 President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency and Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency Award for Excellence
Award of Excellence from the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General
2008 Law Enforcement Public Service Award from the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Association of Law Schools, Animal Law Section Chair (2010)
American Bar Association - Sections of Business Law and TIPS
TIPS Animal Law Committee Activities
Chair (2012-2013), Chair-Elect (2011-2012), Chair-Elect Designee (2010-2011),
Vice Chair (2008-2011), Co-Chair, Companion Animal Subcommittee (2009-2011)
Indiana State Bar Association, Special Committee on Animal Law Co-Chair (2009-2010)
American Veterinary Medical Law Association
Admitted to Practice in the State of Washington in November 1992 (inactive status)
Admitted to Practice in the State of Iowa in June 1995
Admitted to Practice in the State of Missouri in April 1996
Admitted to Practice in the State of Kansas in September 1996 (inactive status)